Part II. PRIMULA. 293 



agents, they are invaluable, and should be seen in strong tufts 

 round every shrubbery border. 



The cultivation of Polyanthuses is, happily, almost as simple 

 as that of meadow grass. They grow vigorously in almost any 

 kind of garden soil, best in that which is somewhat rich and 

 moist. They thrive in the full sun, but enjoy best a partially 

 shaded and sheltered position, and are somewhat impatient of 

 heat and drought. When grown for bedding purposes, they are, 

 like the Primroses, &c., removed from the flower-garden to the 

 kitchen-garden or nursery in early summer, and again conveyed 

 there when the summer bedding plants have passed away. 

 Some varieties, a good deal larger in their parts than the com- 

 mon type, have been raised of late, and these are also very easy 

 of culture and very -vigorous ; and there are none, or very few, 

 double varieties, as in the case of the Primrose. There are, 

 however, some which are curious and interesting from the dupli- 

 cation of the calyx or corolla, and these are popularly known as 

 " hose-in-hose " Polyanthuses ; they grow with the same facility 

 as the others. Where soil is prepared for the choicer varieties, 

 any good loam with a free addition of decomposed leaf-mould 

 and decomposed cow-manure and sand will form an admirable 

 compost. 



The Polyanthus may be raised with great facility from seed, 

 which should be sown immediately after it is gathered from the 

 plants, say, about the end of June. It will grow with vigour it 

 kept till the following spring, but by sowing it immediately 

 nearly a year is gained. The amateur wishing to raise choice 

 kinds had better sow the seed in rough wooden boxes or in 

 pans, but for all ordinary purposes a bed of finely pulverised 

 soil in the open air will answer to perfection. Sowings in early 

 spring are better made in rough shallow boxes or pans placed in 

 cold frames, as time will be gained thereby ; but the best plan 

 is not to lose the time by allowing the seed to remain idle in the 

 drawer all the autumn and winter, but to sow it directly it is ripe, 

 and by doing so have strong plants the following spring. 



The common Oxlip is an hybrid more or less intermediate 

 between the Cowslip and the Primrose. It differs from the true 

 or Bardfield Oxlip by having much larger and brighter-coloured 

 flowers on longer footstalks, and by showing in the throat of the 

 flower the five bosses characteristic of the Primrose and Cows- 

 lip. Some varieties approach the Cowshp and others the 



